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{\title Which Day Is}{\author Carl D. Franklin}{\operator Carl D. Franklin}{\creatim\yr2004\mo2\dy12\hr14\min11}{\revtim\yr2004\mo2\dy12\hr15\min15}{\version5}{\edmins40}{\nofpages47}{\nofwords17345}{\nofchars-32766}
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\par }{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0
\par }{\b\f4\fs40\cgrid0 Which Day Is
\par the True Christian Sabbath--the True Lord's Day}{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0
\par }{\b\i\f4\fs32\cgrid0 The Seventh-Day Of the Week, or
\par The First-Day of the Week?
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\i\f4\cgrid0
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Christian Biblical Church of God
\par Post Office Box 1442
\par Hollister, California 95024-1442
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \page }{\b\i\cgrid0
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The Sabbath/Sunday controversy has been debated for centuries. Sabbath-keepers claim that Jesus Christ never changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week. Sunday-keepers allege that the New Testament Christians are to keep the f
i
rst day of the week and that the Sabbath was changed from Sabbath to Sunday. BUT WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH? WHAT DID JESUS TEACH AND DO BY EXAMPLE? DID PAUL TEACH GENTILE CONVERTS TO OBSERVE THE SEVENTH DAY SABBATH OR THE FIRST-DAY OF THE WEEK? This p
ublication will examine the key Scriptures concerning the Sabbath, and will show THE BIBLICAL TRUTH as to which day is the correct God-ordained day of worship. YOUR SALVATION DEPENDS ON THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD!
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li720\ri720\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par By
\par Fred R. Coulter}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
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\par }{\cgrid0
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\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\i\f4\cgrid0 \'a9 Copyright February 2001
\par Fred R. Coulter
\par Christian Biblical Church of God
\par PO Box 1442
\par Hollister California 95024-1442
\par
\par All Rights Reserved
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\i \page }{\fs36 Part 1
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {The Reason For the Controversy
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab Most professing Christians believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior and th
at He died for their sins--which is true. They also believe that once a person has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, then he or she is under the grace of God--which is true. But once under grace, they are taught to believe that a Christ
i
an has no obligation to keep the commandments of God--which is NOT true! Some professing Christians carry their theological error even further by claiming that Jesus Christ did every thing for the Christian, so he or she has no requirement whatsoever to
k
eep any laws or commandments of God. However, when such teachings are examined closely, it becomes plain that such arguments are only carnal human justifications for rejecting the Fourth Commandment of God regarding the seventh-day Sabbath--Saturday toda
y--in order to keep Sunday.
\par
\par \tab As a result millions have been taught to disregard and reject the Fourth Commandment of God, even though God Himself personally spoke those very words. When God gave the Ten Commandments, He clearly commanded that the sevent
h day weekly Sabbath is the only day to be observed as the weekly holy convocation of God.
\par
\par \tab However, Mainstream Christianity teaches that Sunday, the first day of the week as the Christian day of worship, is the Lord's Day. It is claimed that Sunday has
replaced the original seventh day Sabbath of the Old Testament. The final false conclusion is that the Old Testament seventh day Sabbath, Saturday, was for the Jews only! On the other hand, Sunday, the first day of the week, is to be kept holy by Chris
t
ians but not the seventh day weekly Sabbath! However, Sunday-keeping theologians, ministers and religious people who make these claims, teach this doctrine in spite of the fact that neither God the Father, Jesus Christ or the apostles ever taught or comm
anded, at any time, that the first day of the week was to be kept holy. \tab
\par
\par \tab Are these and other outrageous claims true? What does the Bible itself record for us? What did Jesus Christ actually teach? What did the apostles teach? Which day did the apost
les observe as the Christian Sabbath? What does the inspired record of the New Testament actually teach? As we will understand, the doctrine of Sunday-keeping is contrary to the Word of God and His commandments as found in both the Old Testament and New
Testament.
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par Jesus Christ's Teachings About the Word of God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
In order to understand the Truth concerning the true Christian Sabbath, we need to begin with some basic easy-to-understand Scriptures. First, "There is a way which seems right unto a man, but
the end thereof are the ways of death" (Pro. 14:12 & 16:25). All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes" (Pro. 16:2). The way of mankind is sin and death. The apostle John wrote: "Sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4). Therefore, an
yone who breaks the commandments of God is sinning! Sin brings death because "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Jesus Christ came to bring life and teach us how to live God's way of life! He made it absolutely clear: "Man shall not live by bread alone, BUT BY EVERY WORD WHICH PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD"! (Mat. 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deut. 8:3).
\par
\par \tab Nearly all professing Christians claim that they should strive to live by the teachings of Jesus Christ. Moreover, He personally gave some very explicit
instructions concerning a person's attitude toward the laws of God. He taught, "Think not that I came to abolish the law or the prophets! I came not to abolish, but to fulfill" (Mat. 5:17, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
). "To fulfill" does not mean a different way to abrogate or a
bolish the law and the prophets. "To fulfill," means to fill to the full, to fill up, or as Jesus taught to "fill full" with the true spiritual meaning and understanding, quite the opposite of abolishing or abrogating the laws of God.
\par
\par \tab
In one of the most important prophesies concerning Jesus Christ and the law, Isaiah was inspired to write, "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; He will magnify the Law [fill it to the full] and make it honorable [not abolish it]" (Isa. 4
2:21). That is exactly what Jesus did!
\par
\par \tab Moreover, Jesus Christ did not want us to be in any doubt whatsoever about what He said. Since He did not want anyone to even "think"--let alone ever teach--that He was going to abolish the Law or the Prophets, He
made this statement based on the very existence of the heaven and earth. In the very next verse Jesus said, "For truly [or in truth], I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or tittle shall NOT, in any way, pass from the law until every t
hing come to pass" (Matt. 18, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). Heaven and earth still exist, therefore the laws, commandments and prophetic writings of God are still binding.
\par \tab
\par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {All the Commandments of God Are Founded on Love
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab Far from releasing Christians from their obligation to
keep the commandments of God, Jesus Christ made it clear that they are to keep the commandments of God from their hearts, motivated by their love for God the Father and Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus Christ Himself taught about commandment keeping: "}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS"}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 (John 14:15). The Greek is much more emphatic! The actual meaning is this: "If you are loving Me, keep the commandments, namely Mine!"
\par
\par \tab Will you believe what Jesus said? This statement is absolutely clear. Do you love Jesus Christ? If you love Jesus Christ, you will be keeping His commandments.
\par Furthermore, Jesus left no doubt whatsoever that all the law and the prophets are based on love. Notice: " \lquote You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.\rquote
This is the first and great commandment. And the second one is like it; \lquote you shall love your neighbor as yourself.\rquote ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS" (Mat. 22:37-40, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab In his first epistle, the apostle John amplified Jesus' statement even more. He wrote, "Anyone who says, \lquote
I know Him, and is not keeping His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. On the other hand, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 if}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 anyone keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God has been perfected [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
made complete}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]. By this }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 means}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 we know that we are in Him. Anyone who claims to dwell in Him is obligating himself also to walk even as He Himself walked\'94 (I John 2:4-6, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab These inspired Scriptures make it abundantly clear that anyone who is claiming to know and to love Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior but does not keep His commandments is a liar!
\par
\par \tab Again, the apostle John makes it even more plain: \'93By this }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 standard}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 we know that we love the children of God: }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 when we love God and are keeping His commandments}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
. For this is the love of God, that we should keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome\'94 (I John 5:2-3, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). The actual meaning of the present tense has been translated as it should be in or
der to convey the full meaning of what John wrote. He made it absolutely clear that a person must constantly be \'93keeping\'94 or "practicing" the commandments of God.
\par
\par \tab Most professing Christians claim to "love the Lord," while at the same time they refuse t
o keep His commandments--in particular the seventh-day Sabbath command of God. They claim that the Sabbath commandment is a burden! However, God did not make the Sabbath a burden whatsoever. It is to be a delight!
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 You Cannot Love God and Reject His Commandments}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Regardless of the claims and professions of men, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 it is impossible to love God and not keep His commandments.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Yet, this is what is constantly heard from supposedly Christian pulpits. Somehow such teachers claim to actually know more than God
does! They preach that Jesus did not mean what He said. In effect they are calling God a liar. But it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Heb. 6:18). People are told that they don't have to keep the commandments of God. They are taught that all
that is required of a Christian is that he or she only have to love God and neighbor with a warm emotional feeling in their hearts. If one feels good about it, it must be right. But in reality such a profession of love, or emotions is spiritually empty
and vain. Such misplaced emotionalism is not the kind of love that the Scriptures teach.
\par
\par \tab In the final analysis, the ultimate false conclusion they make is this:}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 They claim that Christians can choose which commandments they will or will not keep. }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 And the
most important commandment that they choose to reject and not observe is the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Fourth Commandment}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
! God commanded, "Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy." However, because most people want their own way, they immediately ignore, forget and reject what God
has commanded them to keep holy. The apostle Paul describes such an attitude. He wrote, "Because the carnal mind }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God--neither indeed can it be!" (Rom. 8:7, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab
This is a perfect description of the mindset that adamant Sunday-keepers hold toward the Fourth Commandment. They have great hostility, and in some cases, great hatred toward the seventh day Sabbath of God! But such an attitude is absolutely contrary to
the teachings of Jesus Christ Our Savior. He said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Mat. 4:4; Lk. 4:4; Deut. 8:3). These words of Jesus make it abundantly clear that no one has the prerogative
to pick and choose which commandments they will or will not keep. They are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The question is this: Are we willing to live by every word of God?
\par \tab
\par \tab In order to understand the Word of God, what are we to do? How are we to live by every word of God? What does the Bible tell us? If we are to uphold the truth of God, we are to }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
"...search the Scriptures daily, whether these things are so"}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 (Acts 17:11). Also, our responsibility is to }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "PROVE ALL THINGS AND HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD"}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 (I Thes. 5:21).
\par
\par \tab What does the Bible teach us about the commandments of God? Here is what king David, a man after God's heart wrote about God's laws and commandments: "...Your }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 LAW}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 TRUTH}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ...}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ALL YOUR COMMANDMENTS}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 are }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 TRUTH}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ...Your word is }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 TRUE}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 from the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 BEGINNING}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
...All your commandments are righteousness." (Psa. 119:142,151,160, 172). In His final prayer before He was arrested, Jesus asked God the Father to sanctify true Christians through His word. He prayed, "Sanctify them through your truth, }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 YOUR WORD IS THE TRUTH}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (John. 17:17, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Unfortunately, too many professing Christians are under the misconception that if anything is in the Old Testament, they have the liberty to automatically ignore it. Such a f
alse justification is only an attempt to make it appear that the Old Testament can be wholly rejected. After all it is reasoned, "It was only for the Jews. Christians are only to follow the New Testament." But that is not true. The truth is that the
New Testament reveals that all the commandments of God are to be kept. Moreover, true believers are to keep them in the "spirit of the law" as magnified by Jesus Christ and not in the "letter of the law" only.
\par
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, the you
ng evangelist, about the Scriptures of God--the Old Testament. He did not ignore or reject them as useless, as so many ministers do today. He upheld the Word of God, as the Truth of God, inspired of God. Notice: "And that from a child }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 you have known the Holy Scriptures}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [the Old Testament] which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
All Scripture is God-inspired and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work\'94
(II Tim. 3:15-17). As we shall see this applies directly to the Sabbath/Sunday question.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 At Creation God Created the Seventh-Day Sabbath as Holy Time}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Most people are under the mi
sconception that the seventh day Sabbath was originally given to the Jews only. This is not true! The Bible clearly teaches that from the beginning of creation God made the seventh day holy. "Thus the heavens and earth were finished, and all the host of
them. And on the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 seventh day }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Hebrew reads \'93the sixth day\'94] God ended His work which He had made. And God blessed the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 seventh day,}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 sanctified}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 it; because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1-3, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Few pe
ople understand that Adam and Eve were not Jews. The Scriptural truth is that the Jews did not come on the scene until nearly 3,000 years after creation. Furthermore, 3,000 years after the creation of the seventh-day Sabbath, is nearly one-half of all h
uman history! There is no question that God created the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 seventh day Sabbath for all mankind}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . \tab Jesus confirmed this when He said, "The Sabbath was made for man" [The Greek word }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 anthropos }{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 means mankind in general] (Mk. 2:27). He did not say that the Sabbath was made for the Jews only.
\par
\par \tab The New Testament clearly teaches that true Christians are the spiritual children of Abraham. Notice: "Not then, if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). If we are the spiritual children of Abraham, we are to follow His example and do the works of Abraham (John 8:29). When we examine the Scriptural account of Abraham's life, we find that he obeyed God in everything: "}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ." (Gen. 26:5, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Since the Sabbath commandment was given at creation, there is no question that Abraham kept the seventh day weekly Sabbath. If he did not, then it could not have been said that
he kept the commandments of God. What the Bible is teaching us is this: Abraham, who is called the father of the faithful in the New Testament, went above and beyond the rigid letter-of-the law commandment-keeping. He obeyed the voice of God and did tho
se things which pleased Him, therefore Abraham was called "the Friend of God" (James 2:23).
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cgrid0 God Gave the Sabbath to the Children of Israel
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Before Mount Sinai and the Giving of the Law}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab When we examine the Scriptures, we find that God, in fact, revealed the seventh day, weekly Sabbath to the children of Israel as the weekly day of worship, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 prior }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
to the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. This was before the covenant with Israel was confirmed. God showed that Sabbath-keeping was obligatory befor
e the institution of the Old Covenant. This again proves that the Sabbath commandment was binding from the time of creation.
\par
\par \tab In the Sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, we find that God revealed the Sabbath by the miracle of manna. God told them that they we
re to gather manna day-by-day for six days. On each of the five days they were only to gather enough for each day. If they gathered more than what was needed for a day, the manna would breed worms and stink.
\par
\par \tab
However, on the sixth-day they were told to gather twice as much as the other days and were commanded by God to keep it over for the seventh day, weekly Sabbath. On the Sabbath, the manna that was kept over from the sixth-day's gathering did not breed wo
rms or stink! God did not send manna on the Sabbath. The children of Israel were commanded not to go out to gather and look for manna on the Sabbath day.
\par
\par \tab However, some of the people did not believe God! During the week some of the people gathered more than they were supposed to and the manna bred worms and stank. Some of the people went out on the Sabbath to look for manna. But did not find any.
\par
\par \tab What was God's reaction?
\par
\par \tab "And the Lord said unto Moses, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 How long, refuse you to keep My commandments and My laws}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on the sixth-day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh-day. So the people rested on the seventh-day" (Ex
. 16:28-30, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Few people realize that the Sabbath is a gift from God. The Lord said that He gave them the Sabbath.
\par
\par \tab The miracles of the manna that God did, prove that the Sabbath is of primary importance to Him and for His people. He had made it
holy time from creation. This account clearly shows that God required the children of Israel to keep His commandments and laws before the giving of the Law to Israel. Moreover, the truth is that from the beginning the commandments and laws of God are bi
nding on all mankind.
\par
\par \tab Since that is the truth, each one of us needs to ask him or herself, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "How long am I going to continue to refuse to keep the commandments of God? How long am I going to refuse to keep the Sabbath of God?}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The Fourth Commandment in Full}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab
When the Lord God, the One Who later became Jesus Christ, gave the Sabbath commandment, as part of the Ten Commandments, He also gave the reason for the Sabbath. Let us examine the Fourth Commandment very carefully: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep
it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 but the seventh day }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the sabbath of the LORD thy God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in it}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates:
\par
\par \tab "For }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , and rested the seventh day:}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Ex. 20:8-10, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Now let's read the Fourth Commandment as it is recorded in Deuteronomy Chapter Five: "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Keep the Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God has commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor and do all thy work; but }
{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the seventh day }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the Sabbath of the LORD thy God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 : }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in it}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm; }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Deut. 5:12-15, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
).
\par
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Furthermore, God has commanded that the Sabbath day is to be a holy convocation. A holy convocation, or the calling of a holy
assembly. The seventh-day Sabbath, which belongs to God, is the weekly day of worship and assembly, which He has commanded to be kept. "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 concerning}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
the feasts of the Lord which ye shall proclaim }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 to be}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 holy convocations}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 even}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done; but the seventh-day is the Sabbath of rest, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 an holy convocation}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; ye shall do no work }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 therein}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; it is the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
SABBATH OF THE LORD}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in all your dwellings" (Lev. 23:1-3).
\par
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sa120\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab Let's analyze all of the components of God's Sabbath commandment--the fourth Commandment. What has God told us?
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 1. God has given us the Sabbath. It is a great gift from Him.
\par 2. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. Not some other day we choose.
\par 3. God has given us six days to do all our work.
\par 4. We are to rest from our work and labor on the seventh-day.
\par 5. It is a weekly memorial of God's creation of heaven and earth.
\par 6. It is a memorial of Israel's slavery and lack of Sabbath observance while they were slaves in Egypt.
\par 7. It is the only day of the week that God specifically blessed and made holy.
\par 8. The seventh day Sabbath is a holy convocation. It is a day of assembly and worship.
\par 9. Perhaps the most important aspect of the commandment is that }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 owns it. It belongs to God and He made it for mankind.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ."
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
Think of it this way! Since God owns the Sabbath and it belongs to Him, do men have the right to reject the commandment of God and claim that they have the authority
to make another day holy? OF COURSE NOT! Regardless of any claim to the contrary, nowhere in the Scriptures did God the Father or Jesus Christ ever give that authority to any man, or to any church. The seventh-day weekly Sabbath is God's special holy
time, which He created for the good of mankind. God is the One who commands what the seventh-day is for and what to do on that day.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab In reality, by appropriating Sunday and rejecting the seventh-day Sabbath--Saturday--men have arrogantly profaned the holy
Sabbath of God. By so doing, they are more than doubly guilty before God. First, they have stolen God's holy time. Second, they are trying to earn salvation through their own works of Sunday-keeping. Third, they are trying to make a different day hol
y, which God did not make holy. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ONLY GOD CAN MAKE SOMETHING HOLY, BECAUSE HE IS HOLY!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 No man can ever make any thing holy because he is not inherently holy--only God is!
\par
\par \tab Viewed still another way. God is the One who commands men. Men do not command God
or tell Him what to do. But, if men take to themselves the presumptuous act of telling God what to do, or what they will or will not do, by human decree or tradition, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that is rebellion!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par \tab In effect that is what men do when they proclaim Sunday to be hol
y, they are rebelling against God. They are declaring that God must put His presence into the first day of the week and make it holy instead of the seventh day Sabbath. But God is not under any obligation to obey any man, or any humanly devised traditio
n, decree or custom. Rather, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 all humanity is under obligation to obey God!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 God is not under any obligation to any man that He should obey him. No man has the power to command God.
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par God Is The Lawgiver
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab The Scriptures reveal there is only one lawgiver.
That one Lawgiver is God! Carnal rebellious men think that they have the right to judge the Laws of God and decide for themselves which laws they agree with and will accept, or which laws they disagree with and reject. But what is man that he would pres
ume to judge the Law and hence, judge the Lawgiver? God never gave that prerogative to anyone. God alone is Judge and Lawgiver! The apostle James makes it very clear. "But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ..." (James 4:11-12).
\par
\par \tab These statements are most profound!
\par
\par \tab Think about it! Are not those who judge the Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath Commandment of God as unworthy of their obedience, actually judging the Law?
Yes! Are they not then judging God Himself? Yes! What is man that he should presume to judge the Law? When anyone judges the Law, he is judging God. In effect he is sitting in the seat of God and presumptuously arrogating a prerogative of God to him
self! In effect, he is proclaiming himself to be God!
\par
\par \tab However, James wrote, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "There is one lawgiver who is able to save and destroy."}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par \tab The One Lawgiver never commanded that the first day of the week be kept holy! He alone created the seventh day and m
ade it holy! Any other proclamations by men to the contrary are null and void. As we will see later that is exactly what the Israelites did. They rebelled and did not keep the Sabbath. They went after other gods. They went after Baal--the sun god. T
he sun god is worshipped on Sunday! The children of Israel and the children of Judah sinned against God because they had rejected God\rquote
s holy Sabbath and His holy days and were keeping Sunday and the pagan holidays of Baal, the sun god. People are doing the same thing today! In so doing, they are rejecting the holy convocations of God!
\par
\par \tab By exalting their traditions and commandments, the Roman Catholic Church and all mainstream Christianity keep Sunday and have rejected the Sabbath commandment of God. This
is the same spirit and attitude, which motivated the Jews to reject the commandments of God. In denouncing the traditions of the Jews, Jesus said, " \lquote Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, \'93
This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me.\'94 But in vain do they worship Me, teaching }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 for}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
doctrine the commandments of men. For leaving the commandment of God, you hold fast the tradition of men, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 such as}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the washing of pots and cups; and you practice many other things like }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 this}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Mark 7:6-8, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Everyone who observes Sunday and rejects the seventh-day Sabbath of God falls into this category. By rejecting the commandments of God and observing the traditions of men they constitute themselves as sinners b
efore God! Sunday-keeping is sin! Sunday-keeping is transgressing the Fourth Commandment of God! Sin is the transgression of the law! In the King James Version, I John 3:4 reads as follows: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law, for sin is t
he transgression of the law." Whosoever means anyone--Jew or Gentile!
\par
\par \tab This translation is most profound when directly applied to those who reject the Fourth Commandment, and substitute Sunday-keeping for Sabbath-keeping. They are constantly committing
sin. Every week they are living and practicing a lie! Sunday-keeping is a sign of this world's false, apostate Christianity! Whereas Sabbath-keeping is a sign of God\rquote s way.
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sabbath-keeping is A Sign Between God and His People}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Just as Sunday-keeping is a sign of this world's apostate Christianity, Sabbath-keeping, including the annual holy day Sabbaths, is a sign between God and His people: \'93And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak thou unto the Children of Israel [
}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the New Testament shows that the True Church of God is called the Israel of God in Gal. 6:16}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ], saying, Verily }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 My sabbaths}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , ye shall keep: for it [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
the keeping of the Sabbaths}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ] }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 throughout your generations; that }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 you may know that I }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 am}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the LORD that doeth sanctify you}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Ex. 31:12-13). }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 NOTHING COULD BE CLEARER!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Part of that sanctification is the keeping of God's Sabbaths }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AS A SIGN}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 .
\par
\par \tab Continuing in Exodus 31, God reaffirms the weekly Sabbath-keeping as }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a perpetual covenant}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , just as it
was from the beginning. "Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: [New Testament doctrine is: the wages of sin is death, and sin is the transgression of the law. (Rom. 6:23 & I
John 3:4)] For whosoever doeth }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 any}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people:
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "Six days may work be done: but on the seventh-day is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD; whosoever doeth }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 any}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 work in the Sabbath, he shall surely be put
to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a PERPETUAL COVENANT. It is a SIGN BETWEEN ME AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [the church is spiritual Israel]}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 FOREVER. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh-day He rested and was refreshed"(Ex. 31:14-17, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab A perpetual covenant is an everlasting covenant! As such it supercedes and transcends all other covenants. This perpetual covenant has been included in every covenant of God from creation!
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sabbath-Breaking Is Rebellion Against God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab In Ezekiel the Twentieth Chapter we read that God commanded the children of Israel to put away the idols of Egypt, hence the religions of Egypt, and to keep His laws and Sabbaths. "And I gave them my statutes, and showed them My judgments, which }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 if}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a man do, he shall live in them. Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that might know that I am the LORD that sanctifies them.
\par
\par \tab "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My Judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
" (Ezk. 20:11-13, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). Because of the sins of the children of Israel in the wilderness, God punished them with 40 years of wanderings until all those over 20 years old died.
\par
\par \tab At the end of the 40 years, just before they went into
the promised land, God again pleaded with the children of Israel. "But I said unto their children in the wilderness, 'Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your Go
d; }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and HALLOW MY SABBATHS; AND THEY }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the weekly and yearly Sabbaths}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ] }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
SHALL BE A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU, THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par \tab "Notwithstanding, the children }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 rebelled}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept they My judgments to do them, which }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 if}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a man do, he shall even live in them:
}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 they polluted My sabbaths...}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Ezek. 20:17-21, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). They rejected God, they rebelled and refused to keep His commandments and laws.
\par
\par \tab That is far different than what most people have been taught by the Catholic and Protestant theologians. In their vicious attacks against God's commandments, the so-called early "church fathers" of the Roman Catholic Church viewed the Sabbath a
nd holy days of God as an imposition against the Jews and a curse for their unfaithfulness. "Justin...did not hesitate to designate the Sabbath as a mark of unfaithfulness of the Jews, imposed on them by God to distinguish and separate them from other na
tions" (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Anti-Judaism and The Origin of Sunday,}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 p. 81, Samuele Bachiocchi, 1981). In his }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Dialogue on 23:2 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Justin continued his attack against God's Way when he wrote to Trypho saying, "We, too would observe your circumcision of the flesh, your Sabbath days,
and in a word, all your festivals, if we were not aware of the reason why they were imposed upon you, namely, because of your sins and your hardness of heart."
\par
\par \tab The early Catholic, so-called, "fathers" taught that God gave the Jews the Sabbath as a
penalty to curse the Jews. As a result, they repudiate the holy Sabbath of God as a curse imposed upon the Jews as a sign of their unfaithfulness. Such perverse thinking of theologians is hard to imagine! But nothing could be further from the truth!
\par
\par \tab As a Scriptural reference to justify their theological reasoning, they point to Ezekiel 20:25 as proof of their claims. It reads, "Wherefore I gave them also statutes, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that were}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
not good and judgments where by they should not live. And I polluted them in
their own gifts..." On the surface it appears that their assessment was correct. However, this is a most deceitful interpretation of Scripture which has been taken out of context. The verse before, verse 24, clearly shows that they were absolutely wrong
to conclude that the Sabbaths of God, the holy days and His statutes and judgments, were imposed them as a curse to mark out the Jews because of their unfaithfulness.
\par
\par \tab Notice what the Scriptures record for us. When verse 24 and 25 are read together, they
clearly relate an opposite story than the early so-called "church fathers" want us to believe. God said: "Because they [the children of Israel] had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 had polluted My Sabbaths
}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , and their eyes were after their father's idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that were}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 not good and judgments where by they should not live. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
And I polluted them in their own gifts}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ..." These verses do not say that God's ways were a curse whatsoever! What God is tell
ing us through Ezekiel is that because the children of Israel had rejected God's way, His statutes and judgments, and polluted His Sabbaths, that He gave them over to their own devises and to their own statues and judgments.
\par
\par \tab The real truth is that the
Israelites had rejected God's Sabbaths and laws. They developed their own religions, the Baal worship of the land and Egyptian religions. They had their own Sabbaths--which was Sunday worship of Baal. They observed the annual pagan holidays--now called
Christmas and Easter. (See I Kings 12:25-33; 13:33-34). These sins were the cause that brought the curses of God upon them. To faithfully keep the Sabbaths of God results in blessings, not curses.
\par
\par \tab In Ezekiel 20:25, the statutes and judgments of which
God gave them over to, were not His commandments, statutes and judgments. Quite the opposite is true. He turned them over to, or gave them over to their own devises and their own pagan religions, which they embraced when they rejected God.
\par
\par \tab They deliberately rejected God's ways. Notice: "}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 There is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls: they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst thereof.
\par
\par \tab "Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 THEY HAVE PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROFANE}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , neither have they shown }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 difference}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
between the clean and unclean, and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 they}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 HAVE HID THEIR EYES FROM MY SABBATHS, AND I AM PROFANED AMONG THEM}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Ezek. 22:25-26, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Not only was it true when Ezekiel prophesied these words, but this prophecy is also a perfect description of the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant religions today! The priests and ministers hide their eyes f
rom the Sabbaths of God and he is profaned among them! No wonder our society is profane, evil and corrupt.
\par
\par \tab God means what He says about His Sabbath days. The ten-tribe nation of Israel rejected God\rquote
s way and polluted His Sabbaths. The ultimate result was that He sent enemy invaders to destroy them. After the Assyrians took them captive, they were removed from the land that God had given them. God sent them into captivity for their sins of Sabbath-
breaking as well as for all their other sins. God recorded the full account of why He punished Israel for their sins: "For }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 so}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, fr
om under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "And the children of Israel did secretly }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 those}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 of worship}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
] in every high hill, and unde
r every green tree: and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: for they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shal
l not do this thing. Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and by}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets."
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that
he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 were}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 round about them, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
concerning }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 even}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . And they
caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out o
f his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 only}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (II Kings 17:7-18, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 )
\par
\par Perhaps we should ask ourselves some serious questions about our own "Christian professing nation." Are we not doing the same thing that the ancient Israelites did? Are
we not facing destruction from within and invasion from without because of our sins and Sabbath-breaking?
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab The prophecies of the Bible show that God is going to destroy this nation because of commandment-breaking! If you don't believe that we are suffer
ing from heinous national and individual sins just look around and see what is really happening! The most obvious sins are Sabbath-breaking, idolatry and Sunday-keeping.
\par
\par \tab Read the entire chapters of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 and you will understand
why we are suffering from all the curses of God for our sins. God prophesied that these curses would come upon us if we rejected His commandments and refused to obey Him. As a society, and in nearly every professing Christianity denomination, not only
a
re we breaking all the commandments of God with impunity, but also Sunday-keeping is at the heart and core of all our national transgressions. Sunday-keeping is a lie! Sunday-keeping is not from God--and never has been! There is not one single text in
the whole Holy Bible to justify Sabbath-breaking and Sunday-keeping!
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par If your are a Sunday-keeper ask yourself these questions: "How long will I refuse to keep the commandments of God? How many other lies and false doctrines have I been persuaded to believe because I have believed the lie of Sunday-keeping?"
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Your Personal Salvation Depends Upon
\par Seeking God and Keeping His Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab In the New Testament, in the book of Hebrews, we are told that we must believe that God exists and to seek diligently. "Now without faith }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 it is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 impossible to please }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
. For it is mandatory }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 for}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the one who is coming to God to believe that He exists, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that He is a rewarder of those who are diligently seeking Him" (Heb. 11:6 }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab How do we do this? }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Believe it or not, when y
ou truly seek God with all your heart, you will understand Sabbath-keeping: "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the Lord, a
nd He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:6-7, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab This is exactly what we are commanded in the New Testament. We are to }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 REPENT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 of our sins, which includes turning from our ways and returning to God and His
ways. We are to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and be baptized by full immersion in water and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then we are to lead a life of loving God with all our hearts and minds and beings,
love our neighbor as ourselves; and we are to keep the commandments of God, as led by the Holy Spirit. (Luke 13:1-6; Acts 2:38; 3:19; Rev. 14:12; 22:14).
\par
\par \tab The prophet Isaiah prophesied that in the end times, just before the return of Jesus Christ, that salvation includes Sabbath-keeping. Notice: "Thus says the LORD, Keep ye judgment and do justice: }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 For My salvation is near to come}
{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that is the return of Jesus Christ}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ], and My righteousness to be revealed. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Blessed }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [not cursed] is the man }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
doeth this, and the son of man }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 layeth hold on it; }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepth his hand from doing any evil}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
....Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the conversion of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ], to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The New Covenant}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]" (Isa. 56:1-2, 6, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab God tells us there is a blessing for keeping His holy Sabbath, not a
curse as so many people have been taught. Moreover, Gentiles are also to keep the Sabbath. God never at any time appointed Sunday as the day of worship for Gentiles. The truth is that all sin is the transgression of the law and that curses are the res
ult of sin. Curses do come not from Sabbath-keeping, rather, curses come from Sabbath-breaking. Anyone who rejects the Fourth Commandment, and does not keep the Sabbath is living in sin.
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab On the other hand, God gives a special blessing, if we truly honor and keep His holy Sabbath. Notice God\rquote s promise: "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 from}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 doing your pleasure on My holy day [}
{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sunday is not God's holy day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]: and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
, honorable; and shall honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 thine own}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
words: Then shalt thou delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 it}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
" (Isa. 58:13-14, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab When we read the histories of Israel and Judah found in the book of Kings and Chronicles, we will learn that whenever they left Go
d, they followed Baal and gods of the other nations about them, they sinned by breaking the commandments and laws of God. However, when they repented and returned to God, one of the first things that they did was to restore Sabbath-keeping and holy day-k
eeping.
\par
\par \tab There are many other Scriptures in the Old Testament, which uphold the seventh day Sabbath as the day that God created and ordained to observed. As we will see the New Testament, also, upholds the observance of the seventh day Sabbath of God. We
need to understand the true practices and teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \page }{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0 Part 2
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {The Seventh Day Sabbath in the New Testament
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par Jesus Christ's Teaching On The
\par Commandments Of God
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab The most important key to understand, in order to understand
the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, is to know who Jesus Christ was before He was conceived in the virgin Mary and born in the flesh. This has a great bearing on the person and authority of Jesus Christ.
\par
\par \tab Here is what the Gospel of John reveals about Jesus Christ. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the Word was God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . The same was in the beginning with God. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
All things were made by Him, and without Him not anything was made that was made}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (John 1:1-3).
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cgrid0 \tab What is this
plainly telling us? Let's examine it in the light of what we already know. We have seen that IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED ALL THINGS, AND THE ONE WHO DID THE CREATING WAS THE ONE WHO BECAME JESUS CHRIST.
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab This knowledge is of the utmost significance because it means that }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus Christ is the Creator of the seventh-day Sabbath. He was the one Who blessed it, sancitified it, made it holy, and commanded that it be kept forever}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0
. Furthermore, the apostle John is telling us that the Lord God of the Old Testament, who became Jesus Christ of the New Testament, was, in fact, the one Who gave the Ten Commandments and all of the laws, commandments, statutes and judgments to ancient I
srael at Mt. Sinai.
\par
\par \tab God has told us that these laws, commandments, statutes and judgments are holy, righteous and good. God gave these to us for our well-being and for our good that He might bless us in everything, because God loves us. (See Deut. 4:1,3
7-40; 5:29-33; 6:1-6,17-18,24-25; 7:6-15; 10:12-15; 11:1-28\emdash Please read all these Scriptures before you go on. It is extremely important, so that you will understand the full impact of Jesus' teachings in the New Testament).
\par
\par \tab When Jesus Christ began His
ministry, He set the record straight, as to where He stood in relationship to God's laws. These were the very laws and commandments, which He, as the Lord God of the Old Testament created and commanded to be kept forever! }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par Jesus Christ Did Not Abolish The Law or The Prophets
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 When Jesus Christ began His ministry He clearly set the record straight concerning the commandments and laws of God--as well as the prophets. He did not want anyone to be in doubt! Here is what He said, "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Do not think }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 which means do not even let it enter your mind}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ] }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
" (Mat. 5:17, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Yet, it is claimed by the majority of professing Christian ministers that Jesus Christ came to do away with the laws and commandments of God, when Jesus Christ explicitly made it absolutely clear that He did not come for that purpose!
\par
\par \tab Now you need to judge your beliefs in relationship to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Ask yourself this question: }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
"Will I believe God, the Word of God, Jesus Christ and His teachings, or will I believe the teachings and doctrines of men?\'94}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par \tab With this in mind, read this next verse: "For truly I say unto you, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 until heaven and earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law until everything has been fulfilled}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
" (verse 17, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Do heaven and earth still exist? The answer is a resoundingly, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 YES! They still exist.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 What does that mean? }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The heaven and earth are a witness that the laws a
nd commandments of God are still in full force and effect.
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Furthermore, how does Jesus Christ look at commandment-keeping? Does He curse the commandment-keeper, as so many religious leaders and pastors allege, or does He say there is a blessing for com
mandment-keeping? What does He say about commandment-breakers?
\par
\par \tab }{\f4\fs26 LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST! IF YOU BELIEVE HIM TO BE YOUR SAVIOR, ARE YOU WILLING TO BELIEVE HIS WORDS? ARE YOU WILLING TO OBEY HIS TEACHINGS? ARE YOU WILLING TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE?
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Your eternal salvation is at stake!
\par
\par \tab Jesus clarified which laws and commandments He was talking about! "Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 whi
ch means that he will never attain the kingdom of God and never receive salvation}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]; }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 but whoever shall practice}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and teach them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of God
}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (verse 19, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). Jesus Christ Himself said that we are blessed, not cursed, if we do and teach even one of the least of the commandments.
\par
\par \tab Furthermore, when asked what a person must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus gave this answer: "...If you desire to enter into life keep [Greek:}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 poiaoo}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 --means to be practicing] the commandments" (Mat. 19:17, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
). Then the young, rich man responded by saying that he had kept the commandments from his childhood up. Jesus answered, that he should sell all that he owned, because commandment-keeping, while required to enter into life, is not enough by itself.
\par
\par \tab This is exactly what early New Testament Christians were taught. In the 90\rquote s AD, the apostle John made it clear that Christians were to keep the commandments of God. Notice: \'93And whatever we may ask we receive from Him, }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 because we are keeping His commandments and are practicing those things that are pleasing in His sight}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'85.And }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the one who is keeping His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
; and by this we know that He is dwelling in us: by the Spirit which He gave to us\'94 (I John 3:22, 24, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab When the apostles were called into question about their preaching and Christian practices, notice they said: \'93But Peter and the apostles answered }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 said, \lquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
We are obligated to obey God rather than men}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'85And we are His witnesses of these things, and also }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \rquote
" (Acts 5:29,32). There is no question that we are still obligated to obey God, rather than men. We must be willing to forsake the teachings of men. If we do not we will never receive the Holy Spirit or ever receive eternal life.
\par \tab
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 All Of God's Laws Are Based On Love
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Jesus Christ taught that the whole foundation for the laws and commandments of God is the love of God. A lawyer questioned Jesus about the law, saying, \'93Master, which commandment }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
great commandment in the law?\'94 Notice Jesus\rquote answer: \'93And Jesus said to him, \lquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 You shall love }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.\rquote This is }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 first and greatest commandment}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 second }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 one is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 like it: \lquote You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\rquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ." (Mat. 22:37-40, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
Jesus expanded the meaning of these two great commandments even more as recorded in the Gospel of John. Jesus said, \'93If you love Me, keep My commandments\'85. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
The one who has My commandments and is keeping them, that is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'85I
f anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
The one who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father's, Who sent Me}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (John 14:15-24, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Nothing could be more clear! If we love Jesus Christ, we will be keeping His commandments. As this precise translation of the Greek shows, if anyone loves God the Father and Jesus Christ, that love is active and on-going. There is no doub
t whatsoever that Jesus Christ means that we are to keep His commandments, but also sayings and words. Moreover, those commandments are the words and sayings of God the Father! Does God want you to keep the Sabbath? Absolutely! No doubt about it.
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Keeping the commandments of God, which includes the seventh-day weekly Sabbath, is the standard by which we know that we love God: \'93
By this }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 standard}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 we know that we love the children of God: }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 when we love God and are keeping His commandments}{\b .}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
For this is the love of God, that we should keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (I John 5:2-3). Furthermore, commandment-keeping is a key to answered prayer. \'93And whatever we may ask [}{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in prayer}{\f4\fs26 ]}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 we receive from Him, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 because we are keeping His commandments and are practicing those things that are pleasing in His sight}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (I John 3:22, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Surely, keeping the Sabbath in a loving, godly way, and worshipping God "in spirit and truth" is pleasing to Him. This is all a part of lovin
g God. One cannot truly love God, if he or she is transgressing the commandments of God! With these things in mind, we can now completely understand Jesus Christ's teaching and example concerning the Sabbath and the inspired teachings of the New Testamen
t.
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par Jesus' Teaching And Example Concerning The Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus Christ Kept The Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Jesus Christ observed the weekly seventh-day Sabbath as a custom; it was something that He always did. We find this account preserved for us in the Fourth Chapter of th
e Gospel of Luke. This event is extremely significant because the occasion was when Jesus began preaching the Gospel in Galilee: \'93And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
according to His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 .\'94 (Luke 4:16, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab After Jesus left Nazareth, He continued throughout all Galilee and was teaching the people on the Sabbath days. He did not proclaim that He had come to do away with the Sabbath commandment. Notice! \'93Then He
went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and TAUGHT THEM ON THE SABBATH DAYS. And they were astonished at His teaching: for His word was with power" (Luke 4:31-32, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Jesus preached on many consecutive Sabbaths. The Sabbath as we have previously le
arned was made to be a blessing for all mankind. Jesus used the Sabbath to preach, teach and extend the blessings of God through healing and casting out demons. Jesus Christ used the Sabbath to release people from sin--}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
NOT TO LEAD THEM INTO SIN!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Hence, the Sabbath day is a day of redemption and salvation--a day of blessing!
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus Healed On The Sabbath Day To Set An Example Of Doing Good
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Mark also recorded that Jesus healed people on the Sabbath day. Notice: \'93And again He went into the synagogue, and a
man who had a withered hand was there. And they were watching Him, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 to see }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
notice the picky, hateful, unmerciful attitude of the Jewish religious leaders}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]. Then He said to the man who had the withered hand, \lquote Stand up }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 here}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in the center.\rquote
And He said to them, \lquote Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbaths, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?\rquote But they were silent. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 And after looking around at them with anger, being grieved at the ha
rdness of their hearts}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , He said to the man, \lquote Stretch out your hand.\rquote And he stretched }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 it}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 out, and his hand was restored }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 as}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 sound as the other }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 one.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Then the Pharisees left }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 immediately took counsel with the Herodians }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 as to}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 how they might destroy Him. (Mark 3:1-6, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab God never made the Sabbath day a burden for people. However, the Jewish religious leaders legislated hundreds and hundreds of "letter of the law" do's and don\rquote ts, which in fact, overburdened the Sabbath with rigorous harsh restrictions.
This made it impossible to truly keep the Sabbath as God intended for a day of rest, rejoicing and worshiping God in spirit and truth.
\par
\par \tab The Sabbath day was cre
ated as a day of release from our labors and physical work. It was intended to be a day of loving God, drawing close to Him and fellowshipping with Him (I John 1:3-4). Just as the Sabbath is a blessing to us, as a day of rest from our labors, so it also
should be used as a day of release from our sins.
\par
\par \tab This is why Jesus continually healed on the Sabbath day. In the account in the Fifth Chapter of John, we again find the loving, forgiving, healing attitude and acts of Jesus contrasted with the hypocrit
ical, super self-righteousness of the Pharisees. So much so, that in the minds of the Pharisees, Jesus' act of healing on the Sabbath, constituted what they claimed to be Sabbath-breaking.
\par
\par \tab In reality, Jesus' act of healing was an extension of God's lovi
ng kindness, which was a most appropriate expression of the meaning and intent of the Sabbath day. God created the Sabbath so mankind could be in contact with the True God and receive His blessings. What greater blessing could a crippled man receive fro
m God, than to be healed on the Sabbath-day?
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab Let's examine this account more closely: \'93
Now a certain man was there who had been }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 suffering with}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 an infirmity for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 there}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , and, knowing that he had been there a long tim
e, said to him, \lquote Do you desire to be made whole?\rquote And the infirm }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 man}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 answered Him, \lquote
Sir, I do not have anyone to put me in the pool after the water has been agitated. But while I am coming, another }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 one}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 steps down before me.\rquote Jesus said to him, \lquote Arise, take up your bedroll and walk.
\rquote And immediately the manwas made whole; and he took up his bedroll and walked. Now that day was a Sabbath.
\par }\pard \s20\ql \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'93For this reason, the Jews said to the man who had been healed, \lquote
It is }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sabbath }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . It is not lawful for you to take up your bedroll.\rquote [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
This was in reference to a traditional law that the Jews added, because Jesus healed him and told him to carry it, Jesus would not command anyone to sin.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ] He answered them, \lquote The one Who made me whole, He said to me, \'93
Take up your bedroll and walk.\'94 Then they asked him, \lquote Who is the one Who said to you, \'93Take up your bedroll and walk\'94? \rquote But the man who had been healed did not know Who it was, for Jesus had moved away, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a crowd was in the place.
\par
\par \'93After these things, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, \lquote Behold, you have made whole. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sin no more, so that something worse does not come upon you}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \rquote \'94 (John 5:5-15, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab How did the Jews react? Were they happy that Jesus had healed a man? }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 No!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Did they desire to follow Him as the Son of God? }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Decidedly not!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Notice their reaction: \'93
And for this cause, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done those things on a Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, \lquote My Father is working until now, and I work.\rquote So then, on account of this }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0
saying}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, not only because He had loosed the Sabbath, but also }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 because}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
He had called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. Therefore, Jesus answered and said to them, \lquote Truly, truly I
say to you, the Son has no power to do anything of Himself, but only what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, these things the Son also does in the same manner.\rquote
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath day\'94 (Verses 16-19, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 )
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
The Jews did not understand that spiritual work such as healing, helping the poor and destitute, on the Sabbath day glorifies God and that doing good such as this is a part of the good works of the Sabbath day. It is not a work of labor for gain.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus Christ Is Lord Of The Sabbath
\par He Is Not Lord Of Sunday!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab After another dispute about Sabbath-keeping, because the disciples plucked ears of grain to eat, Jesus made it absolutely clear that He was Lord of the Sabbath day!
\par \tab "And He said unto them, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN, NOT MAN FOR THE SABBATH}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus ought to have known, because He created it!] }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
THEREFORE THE SON OF MAN IS LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH\'94 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 (Mark 2:27-28, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). Nothing could be more true\emdash Jesus Christ as Creator of the Sabbath owns it.
\par
\par \tab }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 READ THESE SCRIPTURES AGAIN! WHAT DAY DID JESUS SAY WAS THE LORD'S DAY, HIS DAY? WAS IT SUNDAY?}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Absolutely not!
\par
\par \tab The Lord\rquote s day is not Sunday, as most professing Christians have been taught, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus said that the Lord\rquote
s day was the Sabbath day. He is Lord of that day! The Sabbath Day is the seventh day of the week, known as Saturday. It is not Sunday, known as the first day of the week. Therefore, the true Lord\rquote s day of the New Testament is th
e seventh day weekly Sabbath.
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \page The Apostles Kept The Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Jesus Christ's last command before ascending into heaven was very clear. Notice what He commissioned the apostles to do and teach: "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, \lquote All authority i
n heaven and in earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 : and lo, I am with you always, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 even}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 until the completion of the age\'94 (Mat. 28:18-20, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Let's understand from the very words of Jesus Christ, that the apostles were to teach and do only those things they had learned from Jesus. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 THEY DID NOT LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT SUNDAY AS A DAY OF WORSHIP.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
We can be sure that because the original apostles never taught it. In fact, history shows that it was almost 300 years before Constantine imposed Sunday as a day of worship. It is abundantly clear from Scripture that Constantine di
d not have any authority to change the Sabbath commandment of God.
\par
\par \tab In the book of Acts we find that the apostle Paul taught the people on the Sabbath. In fact, when Paul first began preaching in Greece proper, he observed the Sabbath. Because there wer
e not any synagogues in the area, he sought out a place of prayer where people were keeping the Sabbath.
\par
\par \tab Here is what Luke records for us: "And from there [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 we went}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ] to Philippi, which is the third city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
on the Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was known to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women which resorted there" (Acts 16:12-13).
\par
\par \tab Paul was preaching to the Gentiles in this
part of Greece. More importantly, we see that the Gentiles were keeping the Sabbath before Paul preached to them. This is quite the opposite of what theologians claim. Because they despise God's laws, they teach that the Sabbath is for the Jews, and S
unday, is for the Gentiles! That is completely false! Paul taught Gentiles on the Sabbath and taught them to keep the Sabbath!
\par
\par \tab It would have been a perfect time for Paul to begin teaching the Gentiles that they did not have to observe the seventh-day Sabbath, wouldn't it! But did he? }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 NO, HE DID NOT!}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par \tab Let's see some more examples of Paul's teachings and practices. "And Paul, }{\b\f4\fs26 as his manner was}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Acts 17:2).
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Paul Taught the Gentiles On the Sabbath Day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab If Paul wanted to proclaim that the day of worship had, in fact, been changed from the seventh-day to the first-day of the week, he most certainly would have done so on this following occasion. The account in the book of
Acts disproves the allegation that the Sabbath was for the Jews only and Sunday was supposedly the new day of worship for the Gentiles: \'93...They came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day" (Acts 13:15, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). After preaching Jesus Christ to them, many of the Jews were offended. However, some of the Jews and most of the Gentiles wanted to hear more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Notice: }{\fs26\cgrid0 \'93
Then after departing from the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles entreated }{\i\fs26\cgrid0 him}{\fs26\cgrid0 that }{\b\fs26\cgrid0 these words be spoken to them the Sabbath between}{\fs26\cgrid0
. Now after the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and the worshiping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, }{\b\fs26\cgrid0 persuaded them to continue in the grace of God}{\fs26\cgrid0 . }{\b\fs26\cgrid0 Then on the coming
Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God}{\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (Acts 13:42-45, }{\i\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
If it were true, as taught by theologians and believed by millions of churchgoers, that Sunday was for the Gentiles, Paul certainly missed a golden opportunity to teach them about Sunday. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
He could have instructed them to come back the very next day, the first day of the week, and to begin holding Sunday services instead of Sabbath services\emdash but he didn\rquote t! }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {Grace and Sabbath-keeping Go Hand-in-Hand
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Grace Does Not Eliminate Sabbath-keeping
\par
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
The apostle Paul and Barnabas did not teach the Gentiles that grace eliminated the need to obey the Fourth Commandment. Rather, they were told to continue in the grace of God with Sabbath-keeping! Because this is such an important matter, and the Script
ures clearly reveal that Paul did not teach Sunday-keeping, it needs to be repeated: \'93}{\fs26\cgrid0 Now after the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and the worshiping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, }{
\b\fs26\cgrid0 persuaded them to continue in the grace of God}{\fs26\cgrid0 . }{\b\fs26\cgrid0 Then on the coming Sabbath }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 not the next day Sunday--but the next Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ]}{\b\fs26\cgrid0
, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God}{\fs26\cgrid0 \'94}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God" (verses 43-45, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab This is amazing
, because Mainstream Christianity teaches that if one keeps the holy Sabbath of God that he or she has fallen from the grace of God. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, from these scriptures we can see that Paul taught that grace and S
a
bbath-keeping go hand in hand! Grace does not give anyone license to reject God's seventh day weekly Sabbath and replace it with Sunday! However, most Sunday-keeping ministers make the false claim that it is through the grace of God that they have the a
uthority to reject the Sabbath and proclaim Sunday as the Lord's day! That is an outright lie! The true teachings of the apostle Paul were that in order to remain within the grace of God, the Gentiles were to keep the Sabbath--not Sunday!
\par
\par \tab In his epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul taught that grace establishes the law. Notice: \'93
Since, indeed, it is one God who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. Are we, then, abolishing law through faith? MAY IT NEVER BE! On the contrary, we are establishing law!\'94 (Rom. 3:30-31, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
Again, Paul makes it absolutely clear that a Christian cannot continue in sin, transgressing the commandments of God\emdash including the Fourth Commandment. He leaves no doubt whatsoever. Notice: \'93What then shall we say? }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Shall we continue in sin, so that grace may abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! We who died to sin, how shall we live any longer therein? }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Or are you ignorant that we, as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death?
\par }\pard \s20\ql \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'93
Therefore, we were co-buried with Him by the baptism into the death; so that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, that in the same way, we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have become co-joined toget
her in the likeness of His death, so also shall we be in the likeness of His resurrection. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Knowing this, that our old man was co-crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer be enslaved to sin}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; because the
one who has died to sin [through the operation of baptism] has been justified from sin\'94 (Rom. 6:1-7, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab When we fully understand the New Testament Scriptures, there was not one hint that the apostles of Jesus Christ, including Paul, who was the apostle to the Gentiles, ever taught Sunday observance. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Never at any time did they teach that Sunday would replace the seventh day Sabbath. }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 All the way through the book of Acts, and in the writings of all the apostles, the Sabbath is upheld as the day of worship.
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
When the apostle Paul came to Corinth, he taught every Sabbath for a year and one-half. \'93And he reasoned in the synagogue every S
abbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. But when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was stirred in the spirit, earnestly testifying to the Jews, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Jesus was the Christ. But as they set themselves in opposition and were blaspheming, Paul shook his garments }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 said to them, \lquote Your blood }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 be}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
upon your heads. I am clean. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Form this time forward I will go to the Gentiles}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 .\rquote
\par }\pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \'93And after departing from there, he came into }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 house of a certain one named Justus, who worshipped God, whose hous
e was adjoining the synagogue. But Cripus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with his whole house; and many Corinthians who heard, believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul in a vision in }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the }{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 night, \lquote Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; because I am with you, and no one shall set upon you to treat you badly, because there are many people for Me in this city.\rquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
And he remained a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (Acts 18:1-11, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }{\cgrid0 \tab }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Again we see that when Paul turned to the Gentiles, He did not institute Sunday-keeping. Neither did he ever teach that Sunday was the weekly day of worship for the Gentiles.
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26 If One Transgresses One of the Commandments,
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sa100\saauto1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26 He is Guilty of Breaking Them All
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 The major com
mandment that is rejected by mainstream Christianity today, is the Fourth Commandment. Yet, as strange as it may seem, those who reject this commandment will profess to keep the other commandments and claim that they are doing the will of God. But the a
postle James declares that breaking even one of the commandments of God is sin, and brings the same condemnation as breaking them all.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\ql \fi720\li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26 \tab In his epistle, James shows that Jesus\rquote
teachings concerning the spirit of the law did not eliminate the need to obey the letter of the law. James explains Jesus\rquote command to \'93love your neighbor as yourself\'94
requires obedience to the commandments of God. James specifically refers to the Sixth and Seventh commandments, and makes it very clear that to break any of God\rquote s commandments is sin : }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'93}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
If you are truly keeping the Royal Law according to the Scripture}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , \lquote You shall love your neighbor as yourself,\rquote you are doing well. But if you have respect of persons, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 you are committing sin, }{
\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 are convicted by the law as transgressors; because whoever shall keep the whole law, but sin in one aspect, becomes guilty of all}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . For He Who said, \lquote You shall not commit adultery,
\rquote also said, \lquote You shall not commit murder.\rquote Now if you do not commit adultery, but you commit murder, you have becom
e a transgressor of the law. In this manner speak and in this manner behave: as those who are about to be judged by the law of freedom\'94 (James 2:8-12, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }{\f4\fs26
\par \tab The same standard also applies to the Sabbath commandment of God, to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy. Let us examine God\rquote s Word: "}{\b\f4\fs26 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy}{\f4\fs26
. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day }{\i\f4\fs26 is}{\f4\fs26 the sabbath of the LORD thy God: }{\i\f4\fs26 in it}{\f4\fs26
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: }{\b\f4\fs26 for }{\b\i\f4\fs26 in}{\b\f4\fs26
six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them }{\b\i\f4\fs26 is}{\b\f4\fs26 , and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it}{\f4\fs26 " (Ex. 20:8-11, }{\i\f4\fs26 KJV}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par }\pard\plain \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f2\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
\par \tab Nowhere in the entire Bible, do we find a single Scripture that changes the day of rest and worship from, the seventh day of t
he week, Saturday, to the first day of the week, Sunday. There are some Scriptures that have been misinterpreted to make it appear that Sunday is the day on which Christians should worship. However, when those Scriptures are properly understood and inte
rpreted, it is clear that Jesus Christ did not change the Sabbath day from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week.
\par
\par \tab Contrary to the teachings of mainstream theologians, God did not command Sabbath keeping for the Jews only. In the begin
ning, God created the Sabbath day, hallowing the seventh day as the weekly day of worship, when there was not a single Jew on earth. The only humans at that time were Adam and Eve: the progenitors of all mankind. It was for all humanity that God blessed
and sanctified the seventh day, making it holy: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day [original reading of the Hebrew text: \'93the sixth day\'94
] God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1-3,
}{\i\f4\fs26 KJV}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par
\par \tab The seventh-day was sanctified at the creation of
the world. God established that day as a time for rest and the day of worship from the beginning. He sanctified it, and blessed it, and rested on it, setting the example for mankind. Down through the ages, the record of this act of God has been preserv
ed in the book of Genesis, one of the books of the Law. Remember what Jesus Christ declared concerning the Law: \'93For truly I say to you, }{\b\f4\fs26
until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled}{\f4\fs26 \'94 (Matt. 5:17).
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
God created time. On earth time is measured by the movement of the earth in relationship to the heavens and earth. As long as the heavens and earth exist, the seventh-day Sabbath will not pass from the Law. Conseque
ntly, the Fourth Commandment is still in force and remains binding on all mankind.
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par \tab Contrary to what mainstream Christianity may teach or what people may practice, Sunday has never been nor will ever be the Lord\rquote s day. The seventh day of the week, called Saturday today, is the Lord\rquote
s Sabbath day. Jesus Christ emphatically declared that He is Lord of the Sabbath day: \'93And He said to them, \lquote The Sabbath was made for man, }{\i\f4\fs26 and}{\f4\fs26
not man for the Sabbath; therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath\'94 (Mark 2:27-28, }{\i\f4\fs26 AT}{\f4\fs26 ). }{\b\f4\fs26 Jesus Himself declared that He is Lord of the Sabbath\emdash
the seventh day of the week. Therefore, the Sabbath day is the Lord\rquote s day\emdash not Sunday.
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26 Some Scholars Understand that the Sabbath is to be Kept
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 \tab Many theologians have misconstrued Jesus\rquote
declaration that He is Lord of the Sabbath as signifying that He was abolishing the Sabbath by His authority. This interpretation of Jesus\rquote
words is completely unfounded. Among the scholars who understand the true meaning of these scriptures, are writers of }{\i\f4\fs26 The Anchor Bible Dictionary}{\f4\fs26 . Notice what they have written about these critical verses: \'93
At times Jesus is interpreted to have abrogated or suspended the sabbath commandment on the basis of the controversies brought about by sabbath healings and o
ther acts. Careful analysis of the respective passages does not seem to give credence to this interpretation. The action of plucking the ears of grain on the sabbath by the disciples is particularly important in this matter. Jesus makes a foundational
pronouncement at that time in a chiastically structured statement of antithetic parallelism: \lquote The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath\rquote (Mark 2:27). The disciples\rquote
act of plucking the grain infringed against the rabbinic }{\i\f4\fs26 halakhah}{\f4\fs26 of minute causistry in which it was forbidden to reap, thresh, winnow, and grind on the sabbath (}{\i\f4\fs26 Sabb.}{\f4\fs26 7.2). Here again rabbinic sabbath }{
\i\f4\fs26 halakhah}{\f4\fs26 is rejected, as in other sabbath conflicts. Jesus reforms the sabbath and restores its rightful place as de
signed in creation, where sabbath is made for all mankind and not specifically for Israel, as claimed by normative Judaism (}{\i\f4\fs26 cf. Jub.}{\f4\fs26 2:19-20, see D.3). The subsequent logion, \'93The Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath\'94
(Mark 2:28; Matt. 12:8; Luke 6:5), indicates that man-made sabbath }{\i\f4\fs26 halakhah}{\f4\fs26
does not rule the sabbath, but that the Son of Man as Lord determines the true meaning of the sabbath. The sabbath activities of Jesus are neither hurtful provocations nor mere protests against rabbinic legal restrictions, but are part of Jesus\rquote
essential proclamation of the inbreaking of the kingdom of God in which man is taught the original meaning of the sabbath as the recurring weekly proleptic \lquote day of the Lord\rquote in which God manifests his healing and saving rulership over man
\'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26 The Anchor Bible Dictionary}{\f4\fs26 , Vol. 5, pp. 854-55).
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26 There Remains Sabbath-keeping For the People of God
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 As these scholars show, the Gospel accounts do not support the widespread belief that Jesus abolished the Sabbath day. Rather, as the
Lord of the Sabbath, He taught the true meaning of the Sabbath day and set the example for its proper observance. His apostles continued to keep the Sabbath and to teach the early believers to keep it, as Paul\rquote
s epistle to the Hebrews clearly demonstrates
. The apostle Paul wrote this epistle between 62 and 65 AD, more than thirty years after the beginning of the New Testament Church. In his epistle, Paul makes it absolutely clear the seventh-day Sabbath had not been abolished. At that time, there were fa
l
se ministers who were teaching that Sunday, the first day of the week, had replaced the Sabbath. To counter these false teachings, Paul gave the brethren a sober warning that to reject the Sabbath and accept Sunday was sin, just as the children of Israel
rebelled against God in the wilderness.
\par
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
Believe it or not, the New Testament shows that Sabbath-keeping and entering into the Kingdom of God go hand-in-hand. The comparison between the Israelites not entering the promised land--a physical type of the c
oming Kingdom of God--because of their Sabbath-breaking, is drawn between professing Christians who will not enter into the Kingdom of God because of their unbelief and Sabbath-breaking. Notice:
\par }\pard\plain \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f2\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 \'93}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 For He spoke in a certain place about the seventh }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in this manner: \lquote }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 And God rested on the seventh day from all His works}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \rquote ; and again concerning this: \lquote If they shall enter into My rest.\rquote Consequently, since it remains }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 for }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
some to enter into it, and those who had previously heard the gospel did not enter in because of disobedience, again He marks out a certain day, \lquote Today,\rquote saying in David after so long a time (exactly as it has been quoted above), \lquote
Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.\rquote For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 long}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 afterwards of another day. Therefore, }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 there}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
remains Sabbath-keeping for the people of God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (Heb. 4:4-9, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par Paul does not say, \'93There remains Sabbath-keeping for the Jews. He clearly declared, \'93There remains Sabbath-keeping for the people of God." The people of God include the Gentiles as well as the Jews (I Pet. 2:10 and Eph. 2:11-13).
\par }\pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f2\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
Many ministers and theologians have applied the opposite meaning to Hebrews 4:9. They have completely misinterpreted the King James Version of this verse, which reads, \'93There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.\'94
They teach that Christians are no longer required to observe the Sabbath because Jesus Christ has given them \'93rest\'94 by releasing them from commandment keeping and thereby He \'93fulfilled the law\'94
for them. As a result, they are told that he or she has entered into a spiritual \'93rest\'94 from sin and does not have to keep the commandments of God. Such reasoning is completely false. Jesus Himself said that He did not come to abolish or \'93
do away with\'94 the laws and commandments of God, but to fulfill them. Neither did Jesus Christ fulfill any commandment for anyone in order to release him or her from the obligation to keep them. He set the example for us\emdash
not to force us but to free us from committing sin (I Pet. 2:21-22, I John 3:4).
\par
\par When we understand the meaning of the Greek text, there is no question that the New Testament upholds the authority of the Fourth Commandment for Christians today. The Greek word that is used in Hebrews 4:9,}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61
\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 , pronounced }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos, }{\f4\fs26 which means \'93Sabbath rest, Sabbath observance\'94 (Arndt and Gingrich, }{\i\f4\fs26 A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 This definition of the Greek word }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56\'20}{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos}{\f4\fs26 is
confirmed by other historical works: \'93The words \lquote sabbath rest\rquote is translated from the GK noun }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos}{\f4\fs26 , [and is] a unique word in the NT. This term appears also in Plutarch (}{\i\f4\fs26
Superset. 3 [Moralia 166a]}{\f4\fs26 ) for sabbath observance, and in four post-canonical Christian writings which are not dependent on Heb. 4:9\'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26 The Anchor Bible Dictionary}{\f4\fs26 , Vol. 5, p. 856).
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 The Greek word, }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos,}{\f4\fs26
is a noun. The verb form of the word is }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo,}{\f4\fs26 which means \'93to keep the Sabbath\'94 (Arndt and Gingrich, }{\i\f4\fs26 A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 \tab This definition of }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 Sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26
is confirmed by its use in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament which dates from third century BC. It is called the Septuagint, meaning \'93Seventy\'94
because the first five books were translated by seventy scholars who were Greek-speaking Jews in Alexandria, Egypt. Jews used the Septuagint in synagogues throughout the Roman empire, and by the Greek-speaking Jewish and Gentile coverts in the ea
rly New Testament church. The apostle Paul, quotes extensively from the Septuagint in his epistle to the Hebrews. When Paul used the Greek word }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos }{
\f4\fs26 in Hebrews 4:9, he knew that the meaning of this word was well known to the Greek-speaking believers of that day. The verb form }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 , }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26
was used in the Septuagint which was as familiar to the Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles of New Testament times as the King James Bible is to Christians today.
\par }{
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 The use of the verb }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26
in Leviticus 23:32 in the Septuagint leaves no room to mistake its meaning. The }{\i\f4\fs26 Greek English Lexicon of the Septuagint }{\f4\fs26 defines }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26 as \'93
to keep sabbath, to rest\'94 (Lust, Eynikel, Hauspie). The English translation of this verse in the Septuagint reads: \'93It [the Day of Atonement] shall be a holy sabbath [literally, \lquote a Sabbath of Sabbaths\rquote
] to you; and ye shall humble your souls, from the ninth day of the month: from evening to evening }{\b\f4\fs26 shall ye keep your sabbaths}{\f4\fs26 \'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26 The Septuagint With the Apocrypha}{\f4\fs26 , Brenton).
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par \tab The phrase \'93shall ye keep your sabbaths\'94 is translated from the Greek phrase }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'65\'69\'74\'65\'20\'74\'61\'20\'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'61}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatieite ta sabbata, }{\f4\fs26
which literally means, \'93You shall }{\b\f4\fs26 sabbathize}{\f4\fs26 the Sabbaths.\'94 The form of the Greek verb }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26 is the second person plural }{\b\f3\fs26
\'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'65\'69\'74\'65}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatieite}{\f4\fs26 , which means, \'93ye shall keep.\'94 Since the verb }{\b\f4\fs26 sabbathize}{\f4\fs26 , means \'93to keep the Sabbath,\'94
this verb is a special verb that also relates to and defines \'93Sabbath-keeping,\'94 for God\rquote s command for the land Sabbath every seven years. In the entire Septuagint, the verb }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{
\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26 is never used to define the \'93keeping\'94 of anything else. Rather, it is always used in relation to \'93Sabbath-keeping\'94 and \'93Sabbath-keeping\'94 only. In keeping with this definition, the KJV translates }{
\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'65\'69\'74\'65}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatieite}{\f4\fs26 , this way: \'93shall ye celebrate your sabbath.\'94
\par
\par }\pard \s62\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 There is no question that the Greek verb }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'7a\'77}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatizo}{\f4\fs26
in Leviticus 23:32 is specifically referring to Sabbath observance. This meaning applies equally to the noun form }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos,}{\f4\fs26 which we find in Paul
\rquote s epistle to Hebrews. The fact that Paul used the Septuagint translation in this epistle confirms that the meaning word }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos,}{\f4\fs26
in Hebrews 4:9, is in complete accord with the meaning of }{\b\f3\fs26 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'65\'69\'74\'65\'20\'74\'61\'20\'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'61}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatieite ta sabbata, }{\f4\fs26
in Leviticus 23:32. Clearly Paul is upholding the observance of the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week.
\par }\pard \s62\qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26 The use of the Greek word }{\b\f3\fs26\cgrid0 \'73\'61\'62\'62\'61\'74\'69\'73\'6d
\'6f\'56}{\f4\fs26 }{\i\f4\fs26 sabbatismos }{\f4\fs26 in Hebrews 4:9 contradicts the teachings tha
t the Fourth Commandment has been abolished. As the context of this verse shows, the observance of the seventh day as a day of rest and worship is as binding for the people of God today, as it was for Israel of old. In addition to the weekly Sabbath, the
annual holy days that God commanded, which are also called Sabbaths, are included in the Fourth Commandment. In the same manner as true believers are commanded to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, they are also commanded to observe the annual holy days of God
.
The early New Testament church kept the holy days of God, as determined by the calculated Hebrew Calendar. The apostle Paul kept the holy days and commanded Gentile converts to keep them (I Cor. 5:7-8). None of the apostles or the early converts to Ch
r
istianity observed the pagan holidays that are now called Christmas or Easter. These holidays, which originated in sun worship, were later adopted into Christianity, through the influence of the Roman church. They became false substitutes for the annual
holy days that are commanded by God, just as Sunday has become a false substitute for the weekly Sabbath.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Paul carries his instruction even further, showing that we have to keep the Sabbath or lose salvation. "For he that is entered into His rest [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 keeping the Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
], He also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His [when He created the Sabbath day]\'94
\par
\par \tab "We should be diligent therefore to enter into that rest [}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sabbath-keeping, as well as striving to enter into the Kingdom of God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ], lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.\tab
For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:10-12, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab What could be more clear? God's Holy Word reveals that if we want to be true Christians, we must be loving God the Father and Jesus Christ. We must be living by every word of God, keeping His c
ommandments. This is how we are to follow Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible. There is no question that we should be observing the seventh-day weekly Sabbath as the day of worship and fellowship.
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Summary}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab We have seen from God's Word these following truths about the }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 holy seventh day Sabbath of God}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 :
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 1. God created the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest for all of mankind from the beginning of the creation.
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\tx720\tx1440\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4390\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 2. Abraham kept the Sabbath
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 3. The Sabbath commandment was given to the Israelites before Mt. Sinai.
\par 4. The Sabbath commandment is the fourth of the Ten Commandments and we are commanded to remember and to keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath.
\par 5. God owns the Sabbath--it is His.
\par 6. Jesus Christ was the Creator of the Sabbath.
\par 7. Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath day, which means that the
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Lord's day is Sabbath, not Sunday.
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 8. Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath and taught and healed on the Sabbath.
\par 9. The apostles never changed the day of worship to the first-day of the week.
\par 10. The apostle Paul taught the Gentiles to observe the Sabbath.
\par 11. The apostle Paul taught that grace and Sabbath-keeping go hand-in-hand.
\par 12. The Bible nowhere teaches that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday.
\par 13. In the New Testament, Heb. 4:9, is a direct command for
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Christians to keep the Sabbath today.
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 14. Sabbath-keeping is essential for salvation and is a sign that we love God and keep His commandments
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Now that you know the Biblical Truth about the seventh-day weekly Sabba
th what will you do? Will you repent of your sin of Sabbath-breaking and truly follow God's way or not? Will you show your love for God the Father and Jesus Christ by observing the Sabbath? The decision is yours!
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \page }{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0 Part 3
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs32 Rejecting the Commandments of God Is Lawlessness
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard\plain \s1\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b0
Everyone who teaches disobedience to the laws and commandments of God is following in the steps of Satan, who was the first lawbreaker. That is why Jesus told the Pharisees that their father was the devil
(John 8:44). While professing to teach and practice the laws and commandments of God, they were teaching and practicing their own religious laws and traditions in place of the commandments of God. During His ministry, Jesus condemned the religious leader
s of Judaism for their traditions, which they held in higher esteem than the laws and commandments of God. He made it clear that in observing their own human traditions, they were rejecting the commandments of God: \'93\'85
The Pharisees and the scribes questioned Him, saying, \lquote Why don't Your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?\rquote And He answered and said to them, \lquote
Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written,}{ \'93This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me.\'94
But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. For leaving the commandment of God, you hold fast the tradition of men, such as the washing of pots and cups; and you practice many other things like this.\rquote
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\nowidctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\nowidctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 \'93Then He said to them, \lquote }{\b\f4\fs26 Full well do you reject the commandment of God, so that you may observe your }{\b\i\f4\fs26 own
}{\b\f4\fs26 tradition}{\f4\fs26 . For Moses said, \'93Honor your father and your mother\'94; and, \'93The one who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.\'94 But you say, \'93If a man shall say to }{\i\f4\fs26 his}{\f4\fs26
father or mother, \lquote Whatever benefit you might receive from me }{\i\f4\fs26 is}{\f4\fs26 corban\rquote (that is, }{\i\f4\fs26 set aside as}{\f4\fs26 a gift to God), he is not obligated to help his parents.\'94 }{\b\f4\fs26
And you excuse him from doing anything for his father or his mother, nullifying the authority of the Word of God by your tradition which you have passed down; and you practice many }{\b\i\f4\fs26 traditions}{\b\f4\fs26 such as this}{\f4\fs26
" (Mark 7:5-13, }{\i\f4\fs26 AT}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
\par \tab Most of the world\rquote s professing Christians have committed the same
mistake as the Pharisaic Jews. Many church denominations teach that divine revelation is contained in church tradition as well as in Holy Scripture. In the majority of churches, the religious leaders elevate their traditions to a higher status than the Wo
r
d of God. It is evident that they have done so with the Fourth Commandment. They have exalted their unscriptural tradition of Sunday-keeping above the Sabbath commandment of God. In rejecting the commandment of God to keep the Sabbath day holy, they have
become lawbreakers in His eyes. According to Jesus\rquote teaching, they are workers of lawlessness. Likewise, those churches that use any form of idols\emdash
including statutes, pictures, relics, icons or other symbolic objects--are rejecting the Second Commandment for the sake of their tradition. Because they are breaking the commandments of God, they are guilty of practicing lawlessness.
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 In his first epistle, the apostle John clearly defines lawlessness: \'93Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for s
in is the transgression of the law\'94 (I John 3:4, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). Although this is a correct translation, it does not convey the literal meaning of the Greek text. Here is a more precise translation of John\rquote
s words: \'93}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Everyone who is practicing sin is also practicing lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab To practice lawlessness is to live in a state of sin, committing sin as a habitual way of life. In other words, lawlessness is the habitual breaking of God\rquote s laws and commandments, which is sin. Religious le
aders who teach and practice lawlessness, appear to be righteous because they use the names of God and Jesus Christ and often quote Scripture. However, they are not true servants of God because they reject His laws and commandments.
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26 \tab The apostle Jude, t
he brother of Jesus Christ, witnesses the rise of lawlessness among the churches of his day. Jude delivered an urgent plea to the believers to reject ungodly teachers of lawlessness, who were turning the grace of God into license to sin by preaching a fa
lse gospel of faith without obedience, and by replacing the commandments of God with traditions that originated in ancient paganism. Notice what Jude wrote: \'93}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Beloved, when personally exerting all }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 my }{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was compelled to write to you, exhorting you to }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 fervently }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 fight for the faith which once }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 for all time}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 has been delivered to the saints. For certain men have stealthily crept in}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ; these are the ones who a long time ago have been written about, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 condemning them}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 to this}{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 judgment. }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 They are}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ungodly men, who are perverting the grace of our God into licentiousness, and are denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94
(Jude 3-4, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab The apostle Peter also warned of false teachers who would reject the way of obedience to God\rquote s commandments, as taught and practiced by Jesus Christ: \'93But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
there will be false teachers among you, who will stealthily introduce destructive heresies, personally denying }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Lord who bought them }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [by rejecting His teachings]}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many people will follow }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 as authoritative}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [exalting church tradition] }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 their destructive ways; }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 because of them, the way of the Truth will be blasphemed}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (II Pet. 2:1-2, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s22\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\i\f4\fs26\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\i0\cgrid0 Those Who Practice and Teach Lawlessness
\par Judge the Law and the Lawgiver
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Those who teach religious lawlessness not only blaspheme the truth of God, but they also judge the laws
of God in unrighteousness. In their lawlessness they claim that all the laws and commandments of God have been abolished or rendered inoperative. Notice: \'93
In fact, the whole law of Moses has been rendered inoperative. The New Testament message is clear for all who have \lquote ears to hear.\rquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
The whole of the law of Moses has been rendered inoperative by the death of the Lord Jesus. The law, in its entirety, no longer has any immediate and forensic authority or jurisdiction whatsoever over anyone}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'85.Christ is the
complete end and fulfillment of all of the laws\rquote 613 commandments, ending their jurisdiction over us completely\'94 (Tardo, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sunday Facts & Sabbath Fiction}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , p. 26-27).
\par
\par \tab By judging the law in this manner, the teachers of lawlessness are rejecting God as Lawgiver and are not doers of the law. The apostle James condemns this ungodly attitude. Notice: \'93
Brethren, do not be talking against one another. The one who is talking against a brother, and is judging his brother, }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is speaking against the law, and is judgi
ng the law. But if you are judging the law, you are not a doer of the law; rather, }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 you are}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 a judge. }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 But }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 there is }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 only }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
one Lawgiver, Who has power to save and to destroy}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . Who are you, whoever is judging another?\'94 (James 4:11-12, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Not only are the
y judging the law as unworthy, but also they are, in fact, judging God Who is the only Lawgiver, as unworthy. To judge God and reject His laws and commandments and to reject Him as Lawgiver is the epitome of lawlessness. This spirit of judging God and Hi
s laws is the spirit and attitude of Satan the devil. Moreover, it is the foundation that has been used to establish various religions that are based on the traditions and commandments of men, while they profess the name of Jesus Christ.
\par
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab The ancient patr
iarch Job perfectly obeyed God in the letter of the law. However, he was trusting in himself and his ability to be righteous, rather than trusting in God Who is the Lawgiver. He bragged and boasted of his own righteousness, as if he originated righteous
n
ess. His boasting was so great that God brought a grievous trial upon Job. After he was smitten with boils from his head to his toes, his trial was almost more than he could bear. Neither were three of his four friends of any help to him. They were unab
le to give Job any understanding or comfort. Only one stood for God, that was Elihu. Notice what he told Job: \'93Furthermore Elihu answered and said, \rquote
hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. For Job hath said, \'93
I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.\'94 \rquote (Job 34:1-5, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Then Elihu revealed Job\rquote s sins to him: \'93 \lquote Job hath spoken wit
hout knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.\rquote
Elihu spake moreover, and said, \lquote Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?\rquote " (Job 34:35-37; 35:1-2, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par After many long lectures by his three friends, and diatribes by Job defending his own self-righteousness to the uttermost, he desired that God Himself would speak with him. God obliged and answered him and revealed Job\rquote
s true attitude of judging God Himself. Notice: "Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, \lquote Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \rquote " (Job 40:6-8, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).}{
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab This is the same self-righteous attitude that today\rquote s workers of lawlessness have toward God\rquote s laws and commandments. They disannul God\rquote
s judgment that His laws and commandments are holy, righteous and spiritual. Rather, they judge them as evil and harsh, declaring them to be a curse. In doing this, they also condemn God, in order that the
y may establish their own righteousness in place of God\rquote s holy righteous commandments and laws. They claim just as Job did that Sunday is more righteous than God\rquote s holy Sabbath day.
\par
\par \tab Furthermore, because they use some of the Scriptures and retain some of
the commandments of God in their own systems of self-righteous religion, they claim that their way will lead to salvation. However, they fail to realize that their own self-righteous traditions, commandments, laws and false grace will not bring them sal
vation. That is the same mistake that Job made. Since God, and God alone is Savior, He powerfully declared to Job that his own righteousness could never save him. Notice: "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Deck thyself now }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 with}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold everyone }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is proud, and abase him. Look on every one }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 proud, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 bind their faces in secret. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee
}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (verses 9-14, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab Finally, after God spoke to him, Job forsook his own self-righteousness and deeply abhorred himself and repented to God \'93in dust and ashes\'94
(Job 42:6). This is what the Christian professing religions of the world need to do. They need to forsake their own self-righteous ways that they have established for themselves and submit unto the righ
teousness of God the Father and Jesus Christ. The \'93workers of lawlessness\'94 need to quit condemning and judging God in order to be righteousness in their own eyes.
\par
\par \tab A close examination of the history of Christianity will show that this is precisely what h
as happened. They have established their own self-righteous religions and have rejected the true righteousness of God. True Christianity, as originally taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles, was subverted from within by false teachers of lawlessness.
The teachings of these \'93ungodly men\'94 that Jude and Peter wrote about were passed down in the writings of the \'93early church fathers\'94
and were accepted by the Roman church as authoritative traditions. Through the centuries the Roman church grew in power, usin
g its influence to stamp out every remaining vestige of the true teachings of Jesus Christ. After a power struggle between the bishop of Rome and Constantinople, the church split into the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches. As the influenc
e of the Orthodox church dominated the East, so the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church molded the thinking of the entire Western world.
\par
\par \tab The authority of the Catholic doctrine and tradition was not seriously challenged until the time of Martin Luther.
When Martin Luther rejected the corruption and lawlessness of the Roman Catholic Church, he appeared to be seeking the truth of God. He labored diligently to translate the Scriptures into the German language so that the common people could read and learn
from the Word of God. But the religion that developed as a result of Martin Luther\rquote
s teachings, known as Lutheranism, did not restore the true teachings of Jesus Christ. The reformation that Martin Luther began was not complete, because he still rejected
the Second and Fourth Commandments. The result was another form of religious lawlessness. Luther claimed that a person who had been saved through the grace of God could not lose salvation, regardless of the degree or intensity of the sins that might be c
ommitted. This perverse teaching is clearly expressed in a letter written by Luther: \'93
Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your faith in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where righteousness can exist
\'85.}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery a thousand times each day}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (Martin Luther, Saemmtliche Schriften, Letter 99, 1 August 1521, translated by Erika Flores in }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The Wittenberg Project, The Wartburg Segment}{\f4\fs26 , as published in }{\i\f4\fs26 Grace and Knowledge}{\f4\fs26 , Issue 8, September 2000, Article \'93Ecclesiasticus: The Wisdom of Ben-Sirach,\'94 p. 27).
\par
\par \tab The words of Martin Luther reveal the depth of lawlessness that Jude condemned to which many religious leaders have descended. This teaching is the epitome of the perverted \'93grace,\'94
which rejects the commandments of God and grants license to commit sin with no limitations whatsoever. Luther\rquote
s teachings concerning murder and adultery are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ, Who magnified and greatly expanded the Sixth and Seventh Commandments to show their spiritual application.
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab
The promotions of lawlessness have succeeded in deceiving the vast majority of professing Christians into accepting a false grace. As the New Testament shows, this distorted view of grace does not lead to salvation. In the Judgment Day, the teachers of
lawlessness, who have been honored as religious leaders and have even done noteworthy deeds in the name of Jesus Christ, will be rejected:}{\f4\fs26 \'93Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name? And }{
\i\f4\fs26 did we not}{\f4\fs26 cast out demons through Your name? And }{\i\f4\fs26 did we not }{\f4\fs26 perform many works of power through Your name?' And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you. }{\b\f4\fs26
Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness}{\f4\fs26 \lquote \'94 (Mat 7:22-23, }{\i\f4\fs26 AT}{\f4\fs26 ).
\par
\par \tab The workers of lawlessness will depart into the lake of fire to suffer the judgement of eternal death, from which there is no resurrection:}{\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'93But }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is }{\b\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 second death}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (Rev. 21:8, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par }{\f4\fs26
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\nowidctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26
The teachings of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount, carry the full authority of God the Father. When Jesus taught the spiritual application of God\rquote s laws and commandments, the people who heard Him were astonished: \'93}{
\b\f4\fs26 Now it came to pass }{\b\i\f4\fs26 that}{\b\f4\fs26 when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; for He taught them as one}{\b\i\f4\fs26 }{\b\f4\fs26 Who had authority, and not as the scribes}{\f4\fs26 \'94
(Matt. 7:28-29). When we trul
y understand what Jesus taught, we can understand that He was giving spiritual intent and application of the laws and commandments of God for the New Covenant, which is the full spiritual standard that Jesus Christ gave, so that the true believer may obey
the laws and commandments of God in the spirit of the law and not in the letter of the law only.
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\page }{\fs36 Part 4
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {The Biblical Truth About Sunday--Keeping
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Sunday, the }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 first day of the week}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , is purported to be the }{\f4\fs26 CHRISTIAN DAY OF WORSHIP}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . It is commonly taugh
t and believed that Jesus Christ, and the original 12 apostles--and especially the apostle Paul--taught that Christians no longer have to observe the fourth commandment, to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy. It is alleged that commandment-keeping, and pa
rticularly, the Sabbath commandment, was "nailed to the cross." It is claimed that Sunday, the first-day of the week is now the "}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Christian Day of Worship}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ."
\par
\par \tab Is this claim true? Can such a teaching be proved from the inspired word of God, the Holy Scriptures?\tab
The answer to these questions is, no. The truth is: These assumptions cannot be supported nor proved by the Scriptures! Are you willing to believe the word of God, or accept the teachings of men as more important than the Biblical teachings of God?
\par
\par \tab If you believe that Sunday worship is Christian, and that God's inspired Word, the Holy Scriptures teach Sunday-keeping, then search the Scriptures and you will not find:
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 1. One text that says that the Sabbath was }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ever changed}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 from the seventh to the fi
rst-day of the week.
\par 2. One text where the first-day of the week is ever called a holy day.
\par 3. One text where we are told to keep the first-day of the week.
\par 4. One text that says that }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jesus ever kept}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the first-day.
\par 5. One text where the first-day is ever given any sacred title.
\par 6. One text that tells us to keep the first-day in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
\par 7. One text that affirms that }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 any of the apostles}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ever kept the first-day as the Sabbath.
\par 8. One text from any apostolic writings that authorizes }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sunday observance}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 as the Sabbath of God.
\par 9. One text where it says it was }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 customary}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 for the Church to observe, or meet on, the first-day of the week.
\par 10. One text where we are }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 told not to work}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 on the first-day of the week.
\par 11. One text where any blessings are promised for observing Sunday.
\par 12. One text where any punishment is threatened for working on Sunday.
\par 13. One text that says the seventh-day is not }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 now}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 God's Sabbath day.
\par 14. One text where the apostles ever }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 taught}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 their converts to keep the first-day of the week as a Sabbath.
\par 15. One text that says the seventh-day Sabbath is abolished.
\par 16. One text where the first-day is }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ever called}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the Lord's Day.
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 17.}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 One text where }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the first-day was ever}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 appointed to be kept as the Lord's Day.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par 18. One text that says that the }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Father or the Son ever rested on the first-day of the week.
\par }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 19. One text that says that the first-day of the week was ever sanctified and hallowed as a day of rest.
\par 20. One text that says that Jesus, Paul or any other of the apostles taught anyone to observe the first-day of the week as the Sabbath.
\par 21. One text that calls the seventh-day the "}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Jewish Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " or one text that calls Sunday the "}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Christian Sabbath}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ".
\par 22. One text authorizing }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 anyone}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 to abrogate, abolish or set aside God's Holy Sabbath}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 and observe any other day.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab \tab (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Bible Sabbath Association}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , Fairview, Oklahoma)
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \page }{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0 Part 5
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {The Biblical Truth About Sabbath-Keeping
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Sunday, the first-day of the week, is almost universally observed by "professing Christians" today. Yet, the Bible teaches that }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
the only day that is holy to God is the seventh day of the week, called the Sabbath day in the Word of God.}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The Roman calendar in use in the United States today, shows that seventh-day of the week is Saturday. However, in Europe
their calendars have been changed to show Sunday as the seventh day of the week. In spite of that change, the true Sabbath day, Saturday, is still the true Biblical Sabbath of God, which is holy to Him. The Bible clearly commands: "REMEMBER THE SABBATH
DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY. SIX DAYS SHALL YOU LABOR AND DO ALL YOUR WORK: BUT, THE SEVENTH-DAY IS THE SABBATH OF THE LORD YOUR GOD (Exodus 20:8-20).
\par
\par \tab One of the most profound understandings revealed in the New Testament is that before Jesus Christ came in the flesh, He was the Lord God of the Old Testament. As such, He was the CREATOR OF THE SABBATH DAY. \'93In }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 the}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and not even one }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 thing}{
\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that was created came into being without Him\'94 (John 1:1-3, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 AT}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
THIS MEANS THAT JESUS CREATED THE SABBATH. When we read of the Old Testament and all the passages that pertain to the holy Sabbath of God, the One Who spoke all those wo
rds, was, in fact, the One who became Jesus Christ. Therefore, when Jesus Christ said that He was Lord of the Sabbath, He said it with full authority because He created it for mankind, for their good (Mark 2:27-28).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab Here are some profound reasons why the Bible shows that we should be observing the Holy Sabbath of God, as the weekly day of worship to God, in our age, today:
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 1. IN THE BEGINNING God created the Sabbath day (Gen. 2:3).
\par 2. God rested from His labors on the seventh-day (Gen. 2:2).
\par 3. The Sabbath was made for man, that is, for all mankind (Mark 2:27).
\par 4. God blessed the seventh-day because on it He rested from the work of His creation (Gen. 2:2; Ex. 20:11).
\par 5. God blessed the seventh-day and named it Sabbath (Ex. 20:10-11).
\par 6. God not only blessed the seventh-day, but He also sanctified it, that is made it holy by His presence and declaration (Gen. 2:3).
\par 7. There is no record in all the Scriptures that God ever removed His blessing from the Sabbath and placed it upon another day of the week.
\par 8. God's people kept the Sabbath before the Ten Commandments were given at Mount Sinai (Ex. 16:22-26).
\par 9. God ordained that man should keep the Sabbath (Ex. 20; Heb. 4:3-9).
\par 10. God forbade work on the Sabbath day even in harvest time (Ex. 34:21).
\par 11. God promised the Gentiles, those of all nations, a blessing if they kept the Sabbath (Isa. 56:2).
\par 12. God Promised to bless anyone who keeps the Sabbath (Isa. 56:2).
\par 13. Nowhere in the Bible do we find a command to observe any other day of the week as holy, as a substitute or replacement of the seventh-day Sabbath.
\par 14. God calls the Sabbath His holy day (Ex. 20:10; Lev. 23:2-3; Isa. 58:13; Mk. 2:28).
\par 15. The keeping of the Sabbaths, weekly and annually, is a sign between God and His people (Ex. 31:12-17).
\par 16. The Sabbath commandment, one of the longest of the Ten, is one of the commandments God gave to His people to observe that shows our love and obedience towards God (Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15; Mat. 22:37-40).
\par 17. Jesus kept and observed the Sabbath as a habit, which expressed His love and obedience toward God the Father (Lk. 4:16).
\par 18. Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, and as such the Sabbath is the TRUE LORD'S DAY (Mk.2:28; Isa. 58:13; Mat. 12:8).
\par 19. Jesus Christ recognized the Sabbath commandment as binding (Mat. 12:12; 5:17-18; Mk. 3:4).
\par 20. Jesus Christ kept His Father's commandments which included the seventh-day Sabbath (John 15:10; 8:29; 5:46-47).
\par 21. The Sabbath was observed at the time of the crucifixion (Lk. 23:56).
\par 22. Observance of the Sabbath was the practice years after the crucifixion (Acts 17:2).
\par 23. Paul recognized and observed the Sabbath during his ministry, about 45 A.D. (Acts 13:27).
\par 24. Paul taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath day, at their own request (Acts 13:42).
\par 25. Paul preached to an entire city on the Sabbath day (Acts 13:44).
\par 26. Paul attended a prayer meeting on the Sabbath day, when no synagogue was available (Acts 16:13).
\par 27. It was Paul's custom to preach Jesus Christ on the Sabbath day (Acts 17:2-3).
\par 28. At Corinth Paul preached every Sabbath for eighteen months (Acts 18:1-4.11).
\par 29. James recognized the seventh-day Sabbath many years after Christ's resurrection (Acts 15:21).
\par 30. The seventh-day Sabbath will be observed and kept during the time of the millennium (Isa. 66:23).
\par 31. The apostle Paul made it clear that the day of rest, the seventh day Sabbath was to be observed as a holy day (Heb. 4:4).
\par 32. The sanctity of the
seventh-day was never changed by Jesus Christ, nor by the apostles, to the first day of the week, neither was it changed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ nor otherwise. Christ rose "IN THE END OF THE SABBATH" and not on Sunday (Mat. 28:1-6).
\par 33. As part of our Christian requirements to receive eternal life that we must keep all of God\rquote s Ten Commandments (Mat. 19:17; Rev. 22:14).
\par 34. The seventh-day Sabbath remains as the day of rest for God's people (Heb. 4:9).
\par 35. Jesus warned that in the end time, as the tribulation was beginning, that we should not flee on the Sabbath (Mat. 24:20).
\par 36. The sign of God's people in the end time is that they would be keeping the commandments of God (Rev. 12:17; 14:12).
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 * * * * * * * *
\par \page }{\b\f4\fs36\cgrid0 Part 6
\par }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {Catholic and Protestant Admissions About Sabbath/Sunday
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par Catholic Admissions
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par \tab The Roman Catholic Church understands that the Bible specifically sanctifies the seventh-day weekly Sabbath. Furthermore, it also admits and boasts that the establishment of Sunday worship is based so
lely on the ecclesiastical authority of the Roman Catholic Church and not on the authority of the Scriptures. Here are some famous statements made by the Catholic officials in regard to the seventh-day weekly Sabbath and the first day of the week--Sunday
.
\par
\par \tab "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify" (Cardinal Gibbon, }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Faith of Our Fathers, }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 1892, p. 111).
\par
\par \tab "Sunday is a Catholic institution, and its claims to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles...From the beginning to the end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public wo
rship from the last day of the week to the first" (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Catholic Press}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [Sydney Australia], August 25, 1900).
\par
\par \tab "}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
, and it was from the intentions of the apostles to establish a divine command in this respect, from them, and from the early apostolic church, to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday. Perhaps at the end of the second century a false application of
this kind had begun to take place; for men appear by that time to have considered laboring on Sunday as a sin" (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Church History, }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Neander--Rose's Translation, p. 186).
\par \tab
\par \tab The Roman Catholic Church boasts that by its authority alone they changed the day of worship from the Sabbath to Sunday: \'93
Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we worship [on] Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Cou
ncil of Laodicea (A.D. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday. Question: Have you a way of proving that the Church [Roman Catholic] has the power to institute festivals of precept? Answer: had she no such power, she should not have done
that in which all modern religions agree with her\emdash she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority\'94 (}{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Doctrinal Catechism}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , p. 147 and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The Convert\rquote s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine,}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 p. 50, 1927 edition).
\par
\par \tab In the Bible, God tells us that He and He alone is the highest authority in the universe and on earth. The apostle Paul wrote that \'93at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 things}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in heaven, and }{
\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 things}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 in earth, and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 things }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 under the earth; and }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 that }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 is}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Lord to the glory of the Father\'94 (Phil. 2:10-11, }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 KJV}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ). However, the Catholic Church states that it is above the Bible: \'93}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Sunday is the mark of authority}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . }{
\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The church is above the Bible}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , and this transference of Sabbath observance [to Sunday] is proof of that fact\'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Catholic Record}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
London, Sept. 1, 1923). Again this claim of such authority is made: \'93Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [to Sunday] was her act\'85.And that act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things\'94
(H. F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons).
\par
\par \tab Since God never gave that authority to any man or any church, the Catholic Churc
h has taken that authority to herself. Not only does the Catholic Church claim such authority, they also boast that they have made the whole world bow to her authority. Notice: \'93
My brethren, look about you upon the various wrangling sects and denominations. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Show me one that claims or possesses the power to make laws binding on the conscience. There\rquote s but one on the face of the earth\emdash
the Catholic Church that has the power upon the conscience, binding upon God, binding upon the pain of hell fire}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . Take, for instance, the day we celebrate\emdash
Sunday. What right have the Protestant churches to observe that day? None whatsoever. You say it is to obey the commandment, \lquote Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.\rquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
But Sunday is not the Sabbath according to the Bible and the record of time}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 .
\par \tab
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'93}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
Everyone knows that Sunday is the first day of the week, while Saturday is the seventh day, and the Sabbath, the consecrated as a day of rest. It is so recognized in all civilized nations}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 . I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to
anyone who will furnish any proof from the Bible that Sunday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money. If any person in this town will show any scripture for it, I will tomorrow evening publicly acknowledge it and thank him f
or it. }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 It was the Holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
. And it not only compelled all to keep Sunday, but at the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 364 anathematized those who kept the Sabbath and urged all persons to labor on the seventh day under penalty of anathema.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
\par \tab \'93}{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Which church does the whole civilized world obey?}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Protestants call us every horrible name they can think of\emdash antiChrist, the scarlet colored beast, Babylon, etc., and at the same ti
me profess great reverence for the Bible, and yet by their solemn act of keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the power of the Catholic Church. The Bible says: \lquote Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.\rquote }{\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
But the Catholic Church says, \lquote No, keep the first day of the week\rquote and the whole world bows in obedience}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \'94 (From a lecture by Father T. Enright, Roman Catholic Priest, one-time president of Redemption Father\rquote
s College in Kansas City, Missouri, as published in the }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Industrial American,}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Harlan, Iowa, December 19, 1889).
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f4\fs32\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs26 \page }{\fs36 Protestant Admissions
\par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f4\fs26\cgrid0
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl216\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4\fs26\cgrid0 \tab
The Protestant world also understands that the seventh-day weekly Sabbath is the only day of weekly observance commanded in Scriptures. Yet they cling to the Sunday observance which the Catholic
Church instituted solely on human authority. As a result, the Protestants are following the authority of the Roman Catholic Church for Sunday worship, while they knowingly reject the seventh-day weekly Sabbath of God. As the Catholic Church boasts, the
Protestants bow to the authority of Rome, beginning with Martin Luther.
\par
\par \tab \'93Even such is the observance of the Lord\rquote s day, of Easter, of Pentecost, and the like holy days, and rites. For they that judge that, by the authority of the Church, the observing of
Sunday instead of the Sabbath-day, was ordained as a thing necessary, to do greatly err. The Scripture permits and grants, that the keeping of the Sabbath-day is now free; for it teaches that the ceremonies of Moses\rquote
law, since the revelation of the gosp
el, are not necessary. And yet, because it was needful to ordain a certain day, it appears that the church did appoint Sunday, which day, as it appears, pleased them rather than the Sabbath day, even for this cause, that men might have an example of Chri
stian liberty, and might know that the keeping and observance of either Saturday, or any other day, is not necessary\'94 (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Augsburg Confessions}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 , Article 15, New York 1850).
\par
\par \tab
\par \tab "Is there no express commandment for observing the first day of the week as Sabbath,
instead of the seventh day? None whatsoever. Neither Christ, nor His apostles, nor the first Christians celebrated the first day of the week instead of the seventh [day] as the Sabbath" (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 New York Weekly Tribune, }{\f4\fs26\cgrid0
May 24, 1900).
\par
\par \tab "The Scriptures nowhere call the first day of the week the Sabbath...There is no Scriptural authority for so doing, nor of course any Scriptural obligation" (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 The Baptist Watchman}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 ).
\par
\par \tab "The observation of the first instead of the seventh day rests on the testimony of the church, and the church }{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 alone}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 " (}{\i\f4\fs26\cgrid0 Hobort Church News}{\f4\fs26\cgrid0 [Episcopalian], July 2, 1894).
\par }{\cgrid0 \tab
\par }{\f4\fs26 \tab The overwhelming evidence of the Bible and history proves that the Seventh day Sabbath\emdash Saturday today\emdash is the true day of rest and worship of God. God puts His presence into that day
. He fellowships with His people on that day, as well as, the annual holy days which, He has commanded to be observed in worship of Him.
\par
\par \tab Now that you have this knowledge and God holds you responsible for it, what will you do? Jesus Christ commands, \'93Repent and believe the Gospel.\'94
Will you repent sins and turn to God, or will you continue in your sins? Your eternal life, or eternal death is at stake. Turn to God and live.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\ql \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
\par \tab }{\f4 If you have any questions about Sabbath-keeping, please write to:}{\b\i\f4
\par }\pard \s20\qc \li0\ri0\sa120\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\i\f4 The Christian Biblical Church of God }{\f4 \'a9}{\b\i\f4
\par Post Office Box 1442
\par Hollister, California 95024-1442
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f4\fs26
\par }{\f4
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f4 This document provided by the }{\i\f4 Christian Biblical Church of God}{\f4 web site at: }{\field\flddirty{\*\fldinst {\f4 HYPERLINK "http://www.cbcg.org/" }{\f4
{\*\datafield
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67002f0000000000000000000000000000}}}{\fldrslt {\cs61\f4\ul\cf2 http://www.cbcg.org/}}}{\f4
\par }{\i\f4 Updated: February, 2004}{
\par }}